Naomi's face. His hands, clasped lightly in front of him, trembled
incessantly. Little as I liked the man, he did really impress me as a
pitiable object at that moment.

"Do you mean that you want to speak to me to-night?" Naomi asked, in
undisguised surprise.

"Yes, miss, if you please, at your leisure and at Mr. Lefrank's."

Naomi hesitated.

"Won't it keep till to-morrow?" she said.

"I shall be away on farm business to-morrow, miss, for the whole day.
Please to give me a few minutes this evening." He advanced a step
toward her; his voice faltered, and dropped timidly to a whisper. "I
really have something to say to you, Miss Naomi. It would be a kindness
on your part--a very, very great kindness--if you will let me say it
before I rest to-night."

I rose again to resign my place to him. Once more Naomi checked me.

"No," she said. "Don't stir." She addressed John Jago very reluctantly:
"If you are so much in earnest about it, Mr. John, I suppose it must
be. I can't guess what _you_ can possibly have to say to me which
cannot be said before a third person. However, it wouldn't be civil, I
suppose, to say 'No' in my place. You know it's my business to wind up
the hall-clock at ten every night. If you choose to come and help me,
the chances are that we shall have the hall to ourselves. Will that
do?"